Carton opener



Feb. 24, 1925 1,527,220 H. A. PYLE CARTON OPENER Filed May 21, 1923 INVENTOR HQY'FS A TTORNEYJ Patented Feb. 24 1925.

HARRY comm, or NEW YORK, N. Y.,

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HARRY citizen of the United States, of city of St. Louis, in the State of Misl souri, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Carton Openers, of which t e following is a specification.-

My invention relates to an opening de- A. PYL'E, a and resident vice or cutter especially adapted for open- 1 ing cartons such asthe cartons of various sizes used for packaging various commodities, and also useful for other purposes where some or all of the conditions are similar.

The invention com rises, broadl described, a shank provided at one en with a handle and at the other end provided with a blade, and preferably a blade hav; ing a plurality of cutting edges including a cutting edge on the outward end, and a guard or guide adapted to engage one portion of a carton, such as the top face, and properly ide and locate the blade to cut throu h t e walls of the carton at a suit- 2 able istance below the top. Desirably the blade is detachably connected to the shank, and desirably also the guardor guide plate hold or assist in holding the blade in position. Desirably also the tool is devised so that thin, flat cutting blades, such as safety razor blades of suitable sizes maybeused as the cutting elements, although of course s ecial cutter blades may be provided, partlcularly adapted for the present purpose. The characteristics and advantages of the invention are further sufliciently explained in connection with the following detail description of the accompanying drawings, which show one representative embodiment of the invention. After considering this, persons skilled in the art will understand that many variations may be made within the scope of the invention, and I do not 46 limit myself to-details exceptas claimed.

Figure 1 is a side elevation of acomplete carton cutter, embodying the invention in one form.

Figure 2 is a perspective view of the separated parts shown in approximately, proper relation to each other as in process of assembly.

Figure 3 is a perspective view illustrat- UNITED STATES corrugated paper 'dle, for instance,

is detachably connected and arranged to' PATENT OFFICE.

A. run, or s'r. LOUIS, nissousr, Ass eNon. T0 mcen'r'r 41; mm ronncco A coaroaarron or new mnsm'.

cim'ron 021mm Application filed May 21, 1923. Serial No. 640,396.

ing the manner of using the tool in opening a carton.

Although the main or handle portion of the tool may vary considerably in some cases, desirably it comprises a shank 1 of suitable metal, and desirably the outward portion of the shank has a flat face as at 2, or the shank may be of square cross section'as shown. One end of the shank is fitted into a suitable handle 3, and the other. end portion 4 of the shank is desirably somewhat offset from a part near the hanby providing the shank with two curvatures 5 and 6 so that the outward portion 4 1s parallel to the handle portion. This is for thepurpose of luringing the cutter approximately in line with the center of the handle.

A cutter or blade 7 is located on the outer portion of the shank. Desirably this blade is of very thin material .of suitable composition toreceive and hold a sharp edge, such as suitable tool steel, or a stee such as safety razor blades are made of, and the cutter safety razor blade of suitable size. Desirably the blade has cutting edges 8 and 9 on opposite si 10, and in some cases it is desirable to m e the corners 11 at one or preferably both.

and sharp. When with cutting edges 8 and 9 on opposite'sides and cutting edges 10 on both ends.

The cutter or blade 7 is desirably detachably connected to the shank, and this con" nection may vary considerably. In. the present embodiment it comprises studs 12 and 13 inserted in the shank. The stud 13 may be relatively short and permanently fixed in the shank. The stud 12 is desirably longerand may conveniently be in the form of a screw inserted in a threaded hole near the outer end of the shank. The blade is provided with holes 14 adapted to fit over the studs 12 and 13, andwhen a safety razor blade is used as the cutting blade the studs willof course be located on the shank m- PIOVldGXl they may be may in some .cases be a des, and desirably also the outer end is formed with a cutting ed e provided with cooperate with the blade. substantially rectangular outline and it is a long or oblong depressed 21, the bottom of which is adapted to rest on the cutting blade and is provided with apertures to cooperate with the studs. The guard plate is detachably secured in position, and in turn retains the blade in position, by a thumb nut or wing nut 22 engaging the screw 12, and having a shank 23 adapted to enter the guard recess 21 and engage against the guard bottom to lock the parts firmly but detachably together. portion 24 of the This is usually of central portion The main fiat guard plate is dimensioned to extend well beyond thecutting edges of the blade, at least at the outer end and along the opposite sides of the blade, and this plate or gauge portion is located parallel to and a suitable distance away from the blade so that when the tool is used, as sufficiently shown in Figure 3, in opening a carton or similar package, some projecting portion of the gauge plate 24- lies upon a surface of the carton such as the carton top, and the blade is then spaced a suitable distance from the top to cut through the carton walls, and partly or completely sever the top, as may be desired. The described arrangement of the blade and gauge plate is such that the tool may be held in either hand and moved about the carton in practically any direction While cutting is done by either side or the outward end edge of the blade. When the blade is provided with sharp corners as above described, the corners are also very effective in cutting the carton or other wrapping material.

Vhen the blade becomes dull it can be easily detached, sharpened and replaced, or repositioned, or another blade inserted, as may be desirable.

he tool is especially desirable for opening carton packages of various tobacco products, or practically any other kind of cartons of the class described.

I claim: 1. carton cutter, or like implement, comprising a shank a thin, flat cutting posite sides of the shank, and a guard plate overlying the blade and having guard-andgauge portions projecting laterally beyond the cutting edges throughout the length thereof and located in a plane parallel to the blade and spaced substantially therefrom to guide the cutting edges in severing a carton wall. Y

2. A carton cutter, or like implement, comprising a shank, a thin, fiat cutting blade thereon and having cutting edges at opposite sides of the shank 'and end cutting edge, and a guard plate overlying the blade and having guard-and-gauge members projecting beyond said cutting edges and located in a plane parallel to the blade and spaced substantially therefrom to guide the cutting edges in severing a carton Wall.

8. A carton cutter, or like implement, comprising a shank, a thin, flat cutting blade thereon having cutting edges at opposite sides of the shan r, a guard plate overlying the blade and having guard-andgauge portions projecting laterally beyond the cutting edges, and located in a plane parallel to the blade and spaced substantially therefrom to guide-the cutting edges in severing a carton Wall, and means retaining the blade detachably upon the shank.

carton cutter, or like implement, comprising a shank, a thin, flat cutting blade thereon having cutting edges at opposite sides of the shank, a guard plate overlying the blade and having guard-andgauge portions projecting laterally beyond the cutting edges, and located in a plane parallel to the blade and spaced substantially therefrom to guide the cuttin ed es in severing a carton wall, the uar being superposed upon the blade, an means detachably engaged with the shank and serving to clamp the guard and blade thereon.

5. A carton cutter, or the like, comprising a shank having a flat surface near one end and a handle at the other end, studs projecting from said flat surface, a thin, flat blade of the safety-razor type having side cutting edges and located on said fiat shank face and apertured to engage the studs, a gauge plate having a central depressed portion resting on the blade and apertured to receive the studs, the gauge plate having side portions eXtendingJbeyQnd the blade edges, and a locking Inem er having screw engagement with one of the studs to detachably secure the gaugeplate and blade upon the shank.

carton cutter, or the like, comprising a shank having a flat surface near one end and a handle at the other end, studs projecting from said fiat surface, a' thin, flat blade of the safety-razor type having side cutting edges and located on said flat shank face and apertured to engage the studs, a gauge plate. having a central de-- pressed portion resting on the blade and apertured to receive the studs, the gauge plate having side portions extending beyond the blade edges, and a locking member having screw engagement with one of the studs to detachably secure the gauge plate and blade upon the shank, the outward portion of the shank being offset from the handle portion to bring the blade substantially in line with the\handle axis.

7. A carton cutter or the like, comprising a metal shank having a flat surface near one end and a handle on the other end, studs projecting from said flat surface, a thin,

.blade of the safety-razor type having lateral and end cutting edges, located on the flat shank face and apertured to engage the studs, a gauge plate having a central de- 5 pressed portion resting on the blade, and

apertured to receive the studs, the gauge plate having fiat gauge portions extending beyond the blade edges and-spaced therefrom, and a locking member having screw engagement with one of the studs to de- 1 tachably secure the gauge plate and blade upon the shank.

Signed at city of St. Louis in the State of Missouri this 15th day of May A. D.

HARRY A. PYLE. 

